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Hindustan Times
11-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Orthopedic surgeon reveals '5 types of women who age faster': They ‘smoke and drink too much or sleep too late'
Dr Manan Vora, an orthopedic surgeon, took to Instagram on July 10 to highlight how women can potentially support healthier ageing by making diet and lifestyle changes. He titled his post, '5 types of women who age faster and what to do instead.' Also read | Gerontologist reveals anti ageing foods she eats on repeat every single day: Non-fat paneer to dried fruit Smoking can accelerate ageing in women (and men) due to its harmful effects on skin and overall health. (Freepik) Cut back on these 5 habits Smoking and excessive drinking can have negative effects on skin health and overall well-being, he shared, adding that cutting back on or quitting these habits can help support healthier skin and overall health. Dr Vora suggested managing stress – you can engage in stress-reducing activities like walking, journaling, or meditation. Dr Vora added that you prioritise sleep — aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night to support skin health. According to him, you should eat a balanced diet and focus on whole foods, veggies, and adequate hydration. Another tip the doctor shared is protecting your skin by using sunscreen daily, even on cloudy days or when indoors. He added that you should limit harmful habits and try reducing or quitting smoking and excessive drinking. According to Dr Vora, here are some factors that can impact ageing in women, and their alternatives, as he shared '5 types of women who age faster': 1. Always stressed "Stress shows on your face. Walk, journal, or just breathe," Dr Vora said. 2. Sleeps too late "Skin repairs while you sleep. Get 7–8 hours every night," he added. 3. Eats too much junk "Sugar = wrinkles. Load up on veggies and water," Dr Vora said. 4. No sunscreen ever According to him, "UV rays age you fast. Use sunscreen daily, even indoors." 5. Smokes/drinks too much Dr Vora added, "It dehydrates and dulls your skin. Cut back." Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Eternal shares up 30% since March. Investors are feasting, but can Zomato's parent justify the appetite?
Shares of Eternal , the parent company of food delivery major Zomato and quick-commerce platform Blinkit , have surged nearly 30% since the end of March, mirroring the exuberance in India's broader market. But with a staggering price-to-earnings ratio of 480 and profitability still some distance away in its fast-growing verticals, investors are now asking the key question: can this rally endure? The optimism around Eternal is largely rooted in Blinkit, its quick commerce arm that has posted triple-digit annual growth and is fast expanding its footprint. 'The Indian retail industry is a trillion dollar industry in terms of size, but it is still largely unorganised,' said Kunal Vora, Head of India Equity Research at BNP Paribas. 'We have seen a modern trade making some inroads, but it has still been restricted to top cities… what we saw with quick commerce is very strong growth over the last couple of years driven by the dark stores which provide convenience.' Vora noted that Blinkit achieved EBITDA breakeven in the first half of FY25, and BNP Paribas expects the company to break even at the EBITDA level in FY27. 'What we have seen subsequently is a land grab phase… it is really about chasing and getting the first mover advantage.' That first-mover push is also evident in Blinkit's aggressive dark store expansion. Blinkit opened 294 new stores in the fourth quarter of FY25, significantly ahead of its peers. The company has advanced its target of 2,000 stores to December 2025, a move seen as strategic amid intensifying competition. Margin headwinds, but break-even in sight Live Events While Blinkit's gross order value rose 21% quarter-on-quarter in Q4FY25 to Rs 94.2 billion, and contribution margin improved to 3.1%, adjusted EBITDA margin fell to -1.9% from -1.3% in Q3. Nomura said that 'aggressive store addition and intense competition leading to high marketing costs will likely keep profitability subdued in FY26.' However, JM Financial remains optimistic. 'We strongly believe Blinkit is on track to turn Adj. EBITDA break-even by 3QFY26,' the brokerage said in its June note. It added that signs of rational competition, rising average order values (AOVs), and slower store additions should support margin improvement going forward. JM Financial also noted that Blinkit's losses are already narrowing, from Rs 1.8 billion in Q4FY25 to an estimated Rs 1.5 billion in Q1FY26. In contrast, rival Swiggy 's Instamart losses are expected to expand in the same period. Eternal remains top pick for brokerages Despite intensifying rivalry, Eternal is being consistently favoured over its closest competitor Swiggy. 'Eternal is a clear market leader (in GOV/revenue terms) across all its operating business segments,' JM Financial said. 'Moreover, it is the only major hyperlocal delivery company in the country that… is currently generating free cash flows, without having compromised on topline growth.' Bank of America Securities echoed this view after recent ground checks, saying, 'We return more optimistic on Blinkit's (Zomato's quick com) competitive positioning given strong execution.' The brokerage pointed out that Blinkit continues to add more dark stores while other players like Swiggy, Zepto and BigBasket have started to slow down. BofA said, 'We expect this to help Zomato show better quick com growth vs peers.' Even in Tier 2 cities, Blinkit is reportedly gaining traction, with some dark stores hitting 1,000 daily orders within six to nine weeks. 'This is driven, not due to convenience or value, but mainly due to better selection,' BofA said. Food delivery stabilises, offers margin cushion Zomato's core food delivery business has remained resilient. Gross order value in Q4FY25 was down 1.4% quarter-on-quarter but up 16% year-on-year, with contribution margin improving to 8.6% and adjusted EBITDA margin at 5.5%. Zomato expects 17% year-on-year GOV growth in FY26, slightly lower than 20% in FY25. JM Financial expects Eternal's food delivery GOV to rise 9% quarter-on-quarter in Q1FY26, boosted by summer seasonality, IPL, and consumer behaviour. The brokerage estimates Eternal's adjusted EBITDA margin to improve 10 basis points to 4.5% in Q1. Bank of America noted, 'Food delivery growth is not slowing further but holding well… both platforms are focusing on improving margins and looking to invest more in the high growth quick-com business.' Growth, yes—but at what cost? Despite the optimism, analysts remain cautious about sustainability. Nomura has cut its target price on Eternal to Rs 280 from Rs 290, citing 'lower near-term profitability in QC.' While the company is not burning cash at the EBITDA level, Nomura warns that prolonged losses in quick commerce remain a risk. Bank of America raised its target price on Zomato to Rs 270 from Rs 245 after lowering its WACC and projecting reduced competition in the near term. However, it maintained a 'neutral' rating, pointing out that 'competition is likely to be high in next 6–12 months as most platforms remain aggressive on market share gains.' BNP Paribas sees FY26 as a peak-loss year for the quick commerce sector but expects profitability to improve thereafter. 'We expect that the model in the case of food delivery… will be replicated. Having said that, this is going to be a more competitive industry,' Vora said. 'Right now, it is more a question of just getting the size and we expect margins to follow.' A long road to the Rs 300 mark The rally in Eternal's stock price may suggest that markets are pricing in a brighter future. But the fundamentals, especially in quick commerce, remain demanding. Blinkit's adjusted EBITDA margin is still in the red, new store additions are being closely watched, and long-term profitability is uncertain in a crowded market. As Kunal Vora puts it, 'I would not judge them by immediate profitability… we expect margins to follow.' Whether Eternal can reclaim its all-time high of over Rs 300 and stay there will likely depend on how quickly that promise materialises. Also read | Eternal and Swiggy will quadruple the size of the business over next 3 years, while keeping losses in check: Kunal Vora ( Disclaimer : Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)
Economic Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Eternal shares up 30% since March. Investors are feasting, but can Zomato's parent justify the appetite?
Eternal's shares have surged 30% since March, fueled by Blinkit's rapid growth and dark store expansion. While Blinkit aims for EBITDA breakeven by Q3FY26, aggressive competition and store additions may impact near-term profitability. Despite challenges, brokerages favor Eternal over Swiggy, citing market leadership and free cash flow generation, but analysts caution about long-term sustainability. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Margin headwinds, but break-even in sight Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Eternal remains top pick for brokerages Food delivery stabilises, offers margin cushion Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Growth, yes—but at what cost? A long road to the Rs 300 mark Shares of Eternal , the parent company of food delivery major Zomato and quick-commerce platform Blinkit , have surged nearly 30% since the end of March, mirroring the exuberance in India's broader market. But with a staggering price-to-earnings ratio of 480 and profitability still some distance away in its fast-growing verticals, investors are now asking the key question: can this rally endure?The optimism around Eternal is largely rooted in Blinkit, its quick commerce arm that has posted triple-digit annual growth and is fast expanding its footprint. 'The Indian retail industry is a trillion dollar industry in terms of size, but it is still largely unorganised,' said Kunal Vora, Head of India Equity Research at BNP Paribas. 'We have seen a modern trade making some inroads, but it has still been restricted to top cities… what we saw with quick commerce is very strong growth over the last couple of years driven by the dark stores which provide convenience.'Vora noted that Blinkit achieved EBITDA breakeven in the first half of FY25, and BNP Paribas expects the company to break even at the EBITDA level in FY27. 'What we have seen subsequently is a land grab phase… it is really about chasing and getting the first mover advantage.'That first-mover push is also evident in Blinkit's aggressive dark store expansion. Blinkit opened 294 new stores in the fourth quarter of FY25, significantly ahead of its peers. The company has advanced its target of 2,000 stores to December 2025, a move seen as strategic amid intensifying Blinkit's gross order value rose 21% quarter-on-quarter in Q4FY25 to Rs 94.2 billion, and contribution margin improved to 3.1%, adjusted EBITDA margin fell to -1.9% from -1.3% in Q3. Nomura said that 'aggressive store addition and intense competition leading to high marketing costs will likely keep profitability subdued in FY26.'However, JM Financial remains optimistic. 'We strongly believe Blinkit is on track to turn Adj. EBITDA break-even by 3QFY26,' the brokerage said in its June note. It added that signs of rational competition, rising average order values (AOVs), and slower store additions should support margin improvement going Financial also noted that Blinkit's losses are already narrowing, from Rs 1.8 billion in Q4FY25 to an estimated Rs 1.5 billion in Q1FY26. In contrast, rival Swiggy 's Instamart losses are expected to expand in the same intensifying rivalry, Eternal is being consistently favoured over its closest competitor Swiggy. 'Eternal is a clear market leader (in GOV/revenue terms) across all its operating business segments,' JM Financial said. 'Moreover, it is the only major hyperlocal delivery company in the country that… is currently generating free cash flows, without having compromised on topline growth.'Bank of America Securities echoed this view after recent ground checks, saying, 'We return more optimistic on Blinkit's (Zomato's quick com) competitive positioning given strong execution.' The brokerage pointed out that Blinkit continues to add more dark stores while other players like Swiggy, Zepto and BigBasket have started to slow down. BofA said, 'We expect this to help Zomato show better quick com growth vs peers.'Even in Tier 2 cities, Blinkit is reportedly gaining traction, with some dark stores hitting 1,000 daily orders within six to nine weeks. 'This is driven, not due to convenience or value, but mainly due to better selection,' BofA core food delivery business has remained resilient. Gross order value in Q4FY25 was down 1.4% quarter-on-quarter but up 16% year-on-year, with contribution margin improving to 8.6% and adjusted EBITDA margin at 5.5%. Zomato expects 17% year-on-year GOV growth in FY26, slightly lower than 20% in Financial expects Eternal's food delivery GOV to rise 9% quarter-on-quarter in Q1FY26, boosted by summer seasonality, IPL, and consumer behaviour. The brokerage estimates Eternal's adjusted EBITDA margin to improve 10 basis points to 4.5% in of America noted, 'Food delivery growth is not slowing further but holding well… both platforms are focusing on improving margins and looking to invest more in the high growth quick-com business.'Despite the optimism, analysts remain cautious about sustainability. Nomura has cut its target price on Eternal to Rs 280 from Rs 290, citing 'lower near-term profitability in QC.' While the company is not burning cash at the EBITDA level, Nomura warns that prolonged losses in quick commerce remain a of America raised its target price on Zomato to Rs 270 from Rs 245 after lowering its WACC and projecting reduced competition in the near term. However, it maintained a 'neutral' rating, pointing out that 'competition is likely to be high in next 6–12 months as most platforms remain aggressive on market share gains.'BNP Paribas sees FY26 as a peak-loss year for the quick commerce sector but expects profitability to improve thereafter. 'We expect that the model in the case of food delivery… will be replicated. Having said that, this is going to be a more competitive industry,' Vora said. 'Right now, it is more a question of just getting the size and we expect margins to follow.'The rally in Eternal's stock price may suggest that markets are pricing in a brighter future. But the fundamentals, especially in quick commerce, remain demanding. Blinkit's adjusted EBITDA margin is still in the red, new store additions are being closely watched, and long-term profitability is uncertain in a crowded Kunal Vora puts it, 'I would not judge them by immediate profitability… we expect margins to follow.' Whether Eternal can reclaim its all-time high of over Rs 300 and stay there will likely depend on how quickly that promise materialises.: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)
Hans India
17-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Indian equities outperform global markets in May: Report
Mumbai: The Indian stock markets continued their upward journey in May, supported by a strong economic backdrop and broad-based buying across sectors, a new report said on Tuesday. The Indian equities outperformed several global peers, particularly in the mid- and small-cap segments, driven by solid macro fundamentals and improving investor sentiment, according to PL Asset Management's latest report. Siddharth Vora, Head of Quant Investment Strategies at PL Asset Management, said India's solid economic fundamentals and improved global sentiment offer a positive environment for investors. 'India's resilient macroeconomic landscape, coupled with improving global sentiment, presents a constructive backdrop for equity investors,' Vora added. While the Nifty rose 1.7 per cent to close near the 24,800 mark, mid- and small-cap indices recorded sharper gains. The Nifty Midcap 150 jumped 6.5 per cent and the Smallcap 250 surged by an impressive 9.5 per cent. This strong performance was backed by cyclical sectors like defence, metals and public sector banks, as well as increased retail investor participation. The report noted that India's macro indicators remained healthy, with steady tax collections, easing inflation, robust Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data, and rising foreign exchange reserves. These factors helped build confidence among both domestic and foreign investors. The broader market also showed encouraging signs of recovery. The Nifty 500 rose 3.5 per cent, while the Nifty 500 Equal Weight Index outperformed significantly with an 8.5 per cent jump. This suggests that gains were more evenly spread across stocks, rather than being limited to a few large players. Valuations have risen with this rally. The Nifty's price-to-earnings (PE) ratio climbed to 22.3 times, while the price-to-book (PB) ratio stood at 3.6 times. Though mid- and small-cap valuations remain above their five-year averages, PL noted they are still within reasonable one-year bands -- indicating normalisation rather than overheating. In terms of investment styles, quality, momentum, and high-beta stocks were the top performers in May. The Nifty 500 Equal Weight Index gained 8.5 per cent, outperforming the market-cap weighted index. High-beta and momentum strategies rose 8 per cent and 5 per cent respectively, supported by sectoral rotation and improving sentiment. Quality stocks also saw strong interest, gaining 8.5 per cent on the back of good earnings and safe-haven appeal, the report stated.
Mint
11-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Overweight on financials, industrials; power, railways, defence look attractive for long term: Mihir Vora, TRUST MF
Expert view on markets: Mihir Vora, CIO at TRUST Mutual Fund, believes the medium-term outlook of the Indian stock market is positive. He underscored that healthy earnings and valuation comfort are driving the mid and small-cap segments. In an interview with Mint, Vora shared his views on markets and sectors he is positive about. Here are edited excerpts of the interview: The medium-term outlook is positive, albeit with risks in the background, and there are quite a few potential triggers which can potentially take the market to new highs. Macro conditions in India are firming up. GDP for Q4FY25 surprised positively at 7.4 per cent, driven by a steady expansion in private consumption on the rural side and capex momentum in government spending. CPI inflation eased to 3.2 per cent, staying well below the RBI's upper tolerance. Forex reserves climbed to $693 billion, liquidity conditions turned surplus, and the manufacturing PMI remained robust at 57.6, signalling sustained momentum. May saw the highest monthly FPI inflows in eight months, while DIIs continued their net buying streak. The market has re-rated sharply over the past year, but with forward earnings growth of 12-15 per cent, supported by private capex, corporate deleveraging, and strong domestic demand, there's fundamental backing to this optimism. The recent terrorist event and India's swift, decisive response led to a surge in domestic confidence. Strategically, India's firm stance against future attacks and its demonstrated military precision added to the country's geopolitical credibility. RBI provided an extra boost to growth sentiments with a sharp rate cut and CRR cut, clearly indicating a pro-growth stance as inflation is under control. The global backdrop is positive, and many central banks are cutting rates. Overall, financial conditions are easy and conducive for risk assets. A deeper correction would probably be triggered by external factors rather than internal. Trade wars, currency volatility and other geopolitical issues may impact the markets in the short term. The midcap and small-cap segments had seen a time and price correction in the last six months. This led to valuations going from expensive to a more reasonable zone. The earnings season has been quite good for midcaps, which has triggered the success of these and small-caps. Most of the sectors doing well are the ones that did well in the previous run. And now, with the RBI policy, even the financials are catching up. We continue to believe that the domestic sectors will do better than the global sectors. We are positive on financials, industrials, selected utilities and selective consumer discretionary segments. The other places where we see good growth on a long-term basis are segments like power transmission, distribution, railways, defence, renewables, etc. We have been bullish on defence for quite some time and continue to do so. We believe it is a very long-term story as the segment has just begun to emerge in the past few years. It is not very often that you can get entry into a segment with a long runway just as the sector is beginning to open up and grow. The key trigger is the opening up of the sector to the private sector. Now, apart from local demand, we can cater to the global defence markets, which have far larger potential. As far as PSUs are concerned, we do not consider all PSUs as a monolithic segment. It consists of stocks in many different sectors, and we analyse each stock on a standalone basis rather than using the same broad brush to paint all of them. Macro fundamentals, policy clarity, and broadening sectoral participation provide a solid backdrop. While global risks remain, India's resilience and reform-driven growth make it a compelling structural story. Volatility may continue, but investors with a disciplined asset allocation and long-term perspective should stay invested. We are positive on the domestic sectors compared to the global. We are overweight on financials, industrials and underweight in consumer staples, utilities, energy and consumer discretionary. India has the least dependence on exports as a percentage of GDP. While there will be a global impact and India may not remain completely untouched, we believe that we will be able to tide out through the crisis with a good diplomatic approach and the strength of domestic demand. India will continue to remain the fastest-growing large economy in the world. Inflation is not a concern as our fiscal and monetary policy has been quite prudent. We are seeing flows in both our funds, and even our small-cap fund is close to ₹ 1,000 crore in assets. We follow a market-cap agnostic approach and pick and choose the best stocks across all market-cap buckets. While the allocation changes from time to time, currently, less than 50 per cent of our portfolio is allocated to large caps. Read all market-related news here Read more stories by Nishant Kumar Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions, as market conditions can change rapidly, and circumstances may vary.
